The present invention relates to new and improved promotional advertising displays, and more particularly to a free standing promotional display which is pleasing in appearance and may be adapted for a plurality of tranverse shelf lengths.
The trend for displaying merchandise in retail stores is away from fixed displays and towards to temporary displays. This is known as promotional advertising and generally consists of promotional material pre-packed within corrugated shipping boxes for the merchandise. This can be observed in any retail operation, whether it is the sale of shampoos, pretzels, soda, etc. The manufacturers and packers are concentrating on how to do a better job with these promotional displays.
The use of corrugated packaging for promotional displays, probably is from the time of the availability of boxes and requiring means to cut them into desired displays without fully removing the goods from the shipping containers.
Promotional displays have advanced to the point of presenting the merchandise free of the actual packing container. However, the appearances are limited to the look of the packing materials and to the dimensions of the packing materials. This is particularly true with respect to shelves. Creating a free standing shelf display with a plurality of shelves presents a series of undesirable problems.
The major problem is that the shelf is limited to the actual dimensions of the cardboard beams formed from the packing materials. Of course it is possible to make a plastic shelf which is more attractive, but plastic is at least four times as expensive as cardboard to fabricate for these purposes. Furthermore, the dimensions are limited to the size of the packing materials, and the cost for preparing the mold for such a shelf is quite prohibitive.
Another problem with the cardboard displays is that they are unattractive in appearance. In addition to being unattractive, because they are made out of corrugated strengthened paper, they do appear flimsy and they lack the rigidity that is present in a permanent display or a full plastic display.
Furthermore, because of the lack of rigidity the unit tends to be somewhat unstable, and should there be too heavy a load on the upper shelves, it is possible that the unit may ultimately twist, tilt, tip, or collapse.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved variable sized free standing promotional display.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a promotional display in which the transverse lengths of the shelves may be varied.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved promotional display which is stable and provides firm vertical support for a plurality of shelves.
Still yet another further object of the present invention is to provide a promotional display unit whose end members are formed of plastic with a transverse carqboard beam member, creating a solid structure, having rigidily.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the character described which presents a pleasing appearance.
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved free standing promotional display which presents a solid, yet pleasing appearance to the viewer.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved variable sized free standing promotional display which will be simple and economical to manufacture and yet be durable and aesthetically pleasing when put in use.